Field Investigator and Community Science Coordinator

About San Francisco Baykeeper

Baykeeper  defends San Francisco Bay and the health of the watershed from the biggest environmental threats and holds polluters accountable. For 35 years, we’ve used science, advocacy, and law to achieve hundreds of legal and policy victories that have reduced industrial pollution, sewage spills, fossil fuel contamination, and toxic pollutants to protect the Bay’s wildlife and community health. Our efforts are regularly featured in local, state, and national media – Baykeeper is “one of the region’s most active and most effective defenders” of the environment”.

Baykeeper is a growing organization with a bold mission to fight for justice in collaboration with communities around the Bay Area who have the right to clean water and healthy neighborhoods protected from corporate polluters and government wrongdoing. We are a passionate, results-oriented staff with an engaged community of donors and volunteers, and we are excited to hire an enthusiastic new Field Investigator. 

The Field Investigator reports to our Science Director and works collaboratively with scientists, attorneys, volunteers, and partners to identify and stop the biggest threats to SF Bay.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Pollution Investigation

• Coordinate site investigations in collaboration with our science team. Conduct patrols by boat and drone and collect water samples and other evidence in the field as needed. (Drone training and certification provided, no prior experience required.)
• Document, investigate, and respond to pollution reports received through Baykeeper’s hotline.
• Capture and analyze photos and videos on the ground and using a drone and share summaries for internal and external communications.
• Be on-call after normal work hours, especially during the rainy season, to quickly investigate pollution events and coordinate boat or drone volunteers. This could include early mornings or late nights a few times a month; weekly hours will be adjusted to ensure a 40-hour workweek.

Community Science Coordination

• Coordinate and organize volunteers to sample, identify, and document phytoplankton (algae) in water samples taken from locations around the Bay. (Training in microscopy and identification of phytoplankton provided, prior experience helpful but not required).
• Drive to field sites weekly to work with volunteers and gather samples.
• Record water sampling results through various web portals in coordination with various external science partners.
• Maintain and manage field monitoring equipment.

Policy and Litigation Support

• Track and manage Baykeeper’s legislative advocacy. Write letters of support and opposition on pertinent Bay watershed-related legislation.
• Research, review, and analyze data from field investigations, data surveys, and document review and summarize findings in written reports to inform legal and technical positions.
• Attend public meetings to advocate for environmental and community protection based on relevant science, data, and policy; participate in written, oral, and visual presentations on technical, scientific analyses to support legal advocacy positions.

Boat and Drone Program Management

• Manage Baykeeper’s boat program including scheduling patrols, coordinating the boat calendar to support staff, field investigations, partner organizations, and other on-the-water events or projects.
• Maintain boat records, assist head skipper with routine boat cleanings and scheduling maintenance, and manage and maintain communications with 10 volunteer skippers who pilot our boat.
• Obtain and maintain a FAA drone pilot certification (training and licensing provided).
• Operate drone to document pollution sources, including by generating photos, video, maps, and 3-D elevation models (software and training provided).

Preferred qualifications

• A degree or background in environmental science, ecology, water quality measurements or monitoring, civil or environmental engineering, or related fields.
• Familiarity with water quality issues, ecological sampling, water policy, and San Francisco Bay or similar ecosystems.
• Passion for fieldwork and investigations on the ground, on the water, and in the air regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
• Enthusiasm for meeting and working with community members, volunteers, and stakeholders.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple deadlines, logistics, and scheduling.
• Proficiency with report writing, data management, and presentation software and techniques.
• Strong communication and writing skills; comfort with public speaking and occasional media interviews.
• Good judgment and ability to accurately assess a situation and solve problems or mitigate risks.
• Ability to plan and lead volunteer engagement meetings or events.
• Strong team ethic and integrity; desire to play a central role at a collaborative, inclusive, and highly effective organization.
• Commitment to advancing equity in the workplace.
• Willingness to attend meetings around the Bay Area, Stockton, and Sacramento, and conduct research in the field throughout the Bay’s watershed, including in inclement weather and occasionally outside of normal business hours.

While boating experience is beneficial, the Field Investigator is not required to operate the Baykeeper boat or become a qualified skipper.

*Note to potential candidates: Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary, BIPOC, and other candidates from impacted communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications described in a job description. Baykeeper is committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization. We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and from members of impacted communities, even if they don’t believe they meet every one of the qualifications described.

Work Location (Bay Area, hybrid) 

The Field Investigator is primarily a remote work position, though the employee must live in the Bay Area or be willing to relocate at their own expense. Employee will be required to work at times in the Baykeeper office in downtown Oakland, convenient to public transit. The office is open for individuals who prefer not to work remotely. 

Physical Demands

The physical demands of this position include travel by vehicle, boat, small aircraft, and public transportation; utilizing computer equipment; actively participating in public meetings; verbal communications in person, by video, and by telephone; visual and sensory field inspections and monitoring; ability to physically collect water quality samples on and around the Bay and elsewhere; and an ability to carry and lift sampling and other field equipment or event materials of up to 50 pounds over uneven surfaces. These demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Due to the nature of field investigations during rain events and responding quickly to major pollution emergencies, this position will require occasional work outside of regular work hours on weeknights and weekends. Every effort will be made to adjust weekly hours to adhere to a 40-hour workweek, and the position is eligible for overtime pay, if necessary, in accordance with federal and state regulations. Applicants must also have a valid driver’s license and regular access to a registered/insured vehicle for field investigations and attendance at meetings and events around the greater Bay Area where public transit is impractical or unavailable.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Baykeeper is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices. We are committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where we learn and work together to protect the Bay and Bay Area communities. We strongly encourage women, people of color, gender-diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and other applicants from underrepresented backgrounds in the environmental movement to apply.

Compensation, Benefits, and Values 

This is a full-time, non-exempt position. The salary range for new staff in this position is $31.25-$36.06 per hour depending on experience, with an expectation to work 40 hours per week (typically, Monday through Friday 9am – 5pm) for approximate annual earnings of $65,000-$75,000.

Baykeeper values passion, integrity, respect, and obtaining meaningful results in all our endeavors, including in how we treat our employees. We are committed to continuously building on our collaborative workplace environment. We support the physical and mental health of our employees, as well as a positive work-life balance, by annually offering 17 days of vacation time, 12 sick days, 12 paid holidays with flexibility for diverse religious/cultural observances, 2 paid days for social justice activism, 30-minute paid lunch breaks, and extra paid time off during the winter holidays. Employment comes with 100% employer-paid comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage for employees; an employer 401(k) contribution (as the budget allows) following one year of employment; options for pre-tax flexible spending accounts for medical, transit, and dependent care costs. Additionally, we support professional development opportunities, relevant conferences, and trainings.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Baykeeper is currently a qualifying employer under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.